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Questions & Answers about tā xǐhuan kàn shū.
Is there any difference between “likes to read” and “likes reading” in Chinese?
No. Both map to the same pattern: 喜欢 + Verb. So 她喜欢看书 (tā xǐhuan kàn shū) covers both “She likes to read” and “She likes reading.”
Why is there no measure word before 书 here?
Because 看书 is a generic activity (“read books/reading” in general). You add a measure word when you specify a particular book or a number:
- Specific: 她喜欢看那本书 (She likes to read that book).
- Counting: 她喜欢看一本书 is odd unless you mean “one (unspecified) book”; better specify which book.
What’s the difference between 看书 and 读书?
- 看书 (kàn shū): everyday “read books,” often for leisure. Also used in VO phrases like 看小说/看杂志.
- 读书 (dú shū): “to read” in a more formal/literary sense; also “to study/be in school” (e.g., 他在读书 = He’s a student).
In your sentence, 看书 is the natural choice for the hobby “reading.”
How do I negate it? Is it 不 or 没?
Use 不 for dislike: 她不喜欢看书 (She doesn’t like reading).
Use 没 for not doing an action: 她没看书 (She didn’t read).
To say “no longer likes,” add 了: 她不喜欢看书了.
Do I need 很 before 喜欢?
No. 喜欢 is a verb, so you don’t need the “linking 很” that adjectives often take.
- Neutral: 她喜欢看书.
- Stronger: 她很喜欢/非常喜欢看书 (really/very much likes reading).
How exactly is 喜欢 pronounced? Is the second syllable neutral?
- Mainland Putonghua: xǐhuan (3rd tone + neutral tone).
- Taiwan Mandarin: xǐhuān (3rd tone + 1st tone).
Both are widely understood. The neutral tone is lighter/shorter; don’t stress it.
Any tone-sandhi tips for the whole sentence?
- 她 tā: 1st tone (high, level).
- 喜 xǐ: 3rd tone, but before a neutral syllable it’s usually a “half third” (low, not fully rising).
- 欢 (huan): neutral (Mainland) or 1st (Taiwan).
- 看 kàn: 4th tone (sharp fall).
- 书 shū: 1st tone (high, level).
Say it smoothly: tā xǐ·huan kàn shū.
Why is 看 fourth tone here? I’ve seen kān too.
Different words:
- 看 kàn (4th): to read/watch/look (your sentence).
- 看 kān (1st): to guard, to look after.
Make sure you use 4th tone for “read/watch.”
What about the pronoun—why 她, and how is it pronounced?
她/他/它 are all pronounced tā (1st tone). In speech they sound the same; writing distinguishes “she” (她), “he” (他), and “it” (它). Context tells you which is meant when speaking.
Can I drop the subject 她?
Yes, if context makes it clear who you’re talking about.
- Q: 她喜欢做什么？
- A: （她）喜欢看书。
Subject drop is common in conversational Chinese.
How do I turn it into a yes–no question?
Two common ways:
- Add 吗: 她喜欢看书吗？
- A‑not‑A: 她喜不喜欢看书？
Both mean “Does she like reading?”
Can I say 她喜欢书?
You can, but it means “She likes books (as things/in general).” If you mean the activity, 她喜欢看书 is clearer. Compare:
- 她喜欢书 = She’s into books (collecting, owning, the category).
- 她喜欢看书 = She enjoys the activity of reading.
Where do time/frequency words or adverbs like 也/都/每天 go?
They go before the verb phrase:
- 她每天都看书。 (She reads every day.)
- 她也喜欢看书。 (She also likes reading.)
Avoid 她每天都喜欢看书 unless you’re stressing her preference changes daily (unnatural); use it with the action: 每天都看书.
Do I need 了 here? Can I say 她在喜欢看书?
- No 了 is needed for a simple, timeless preference.
- 在 marks an ongoing action, not a mental state; 她在喜欢看书 is ungrammatical.
Use 在 with actions: 她在看书 (She is reading).
For “came to like,” use 喜欢上…: 她喜欢上看书了 (She has started to like reading).
What if I want to intensify or vary the strength of “like”?
Common options:
- Mild: 挺喜欢/比较喜欢看书 (kind of likes).
- Strong: 很喜欢/非常喜欢看书 (really likes).
- Love: 爱看书 (loves reading).
- Favorite: 最喜欢看书 (likes reading the most).
How is this written in Traditional Chinese?
她喜歡看書。
Pronunciation and meaning stay the same.